by Robin Layton, Marketing Director, Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters
Amanda is a bright and vibrant 9-year-old, filled with promise and hope. She wasn’t always this way. Amanda was guarded, and had difficulty sharing. She didn’t know her father. Her mother was incarcerated. She was placed in foster care and struggled to make friends. Her teacher thought Amanda could use another caring, stable adult in her life. She called Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Amanda met her Big Sister at her school a few weeks later. The young girl didn’t want to talk, but nodded when her Big Sister asked if she liked to read books.
Eight weeks later, Amanda and her Big Sister were chatting on their Friday afternoons together like old friends. They read together, do puzzles and complete math problems and school projects. Sometimes, they just talk. Amanda has a lot to say now. She has found her voice.
Thanks to YBBBS, over 11,000 children in 47 years have experienced a similar transformation as Amanda’s.
Providing one-to-one mentoring relationships gives children the chance to experience many life-changing opportunities with a Big Brother, Big Sister, couple or family match.
“The impact of our mission is great – most significant being generational change. By being present in a child’s life and modeling positive behavior, we change the trajectory of a child’s future,” said Juliana Goswick, President and CEO of YBBBS.
The dedicated staff of YBBBS works with the primary goal of 10 percent annual growth. Over 200 children currently need a Big Brother or Big Sister in their lives.
The mentoring model is a proven one. In the 2016 Youth Outcome Survey, after one year of being matched, our Little Brothers and Little Sisters reported:
- 98 percent improved special adult relationships.
- 94 percent improved scholastic competence.
- 94 percent improved attitudes about risky behaviors.
- 91 percent improved educational expectations. 89 percent improved parental trust.
- 82 percent improved social acceptance.
Taylor Hicks Elementary School Principal Kelsey Secor summed it up well, “Students see more academic success in the classroom the more time they spend with their Big.”
Change a Child’s Life for FREE
Big Brother Jeff Williams and Little Brother Orion have been matched for over two years. Matches like theirs are supported by your Arizona Charitable Tax Credit eligible donation. Did you know you can give a tax credit donation for 2017? Deadline is extended until April 16, 2018. Learn more or donate at azbigs.org/taxcredit.
Honors and Awards
- A “four-star charity,” as recognized by Charity Navigator, charitynavigator.org.
- Bigs in Blue has now expanded to incorporated to include Bigs in Brown (Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office) and Bigs in Red (our local firefighters) All of these programs are active in our service areas of Yavapai County and Sedona with nearly 65 active Bigs.
- YBBBS received the 2017 Quality Award in Recognition of Agency Excellence, awarded by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Women of Influence
Two-hundred children are on the outside, looking in and waiting for a Big Sister or Big Brother to help them realize their full potential. The Women of Influence was designed to inspire the collective passion of women in our community to create positive life-changing relationships in the lives of children in need. Prescott City Councilwoman Dr. Billie Orr is the Honorary Chairperson of Women of Influence.
“Women in Prescott and Yavapai County are committed to making our region a place where all children are safe and have the opportunity to build positive relationships and develop to their full potential,” Orr said. “Women of Influence will provide the leadership and resources to make that goal a reality.”
Contact Juliana Goswick at jgoswick@azbigs.org or call 928-778-5135 to learn more.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake is about OUR Kids!
Think of “Bowl For Kids’ Sake” (BFKS) as a call to action rather than an event.
The annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser is the opportunity to make a difference in our community with just a few hours of your time. Your efforts to raise pledges will help support matches of children to caring volunteers through Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs.
You collect the pledges; we collect the money.
You can bowl with your business, church, school or as a group of family and friends. The 2018 campaign rolls out in March with bowling parties March 17, 18 and 24 and 25.
Join us! Visit azbigs.org or call 928-778-5135 for more info.
How You Can Change the Life of Child
- Become a Big
- Become an office volunteer
- Donate:
- Tax credit
- Gift a planned gift to the YBBS Foundation
- Monthly giving Bowl For Kids’ Sake
- Join the YBBBS Foundation
- Share the Good News! YBBBS has been in our community for over 47 years and has served 11,000 children.
Bigs in Blue
Yavapai County Sheriff’s Deputy and Big in Brown Scott Reed has been matched with his Little Brother Darion for just about a year. It’s Reed’s second match.
Bigs in Blue is a national program that pairs a police officer with a child in need. The officer visits the child’s school once a week and builds a mentoring relationship with the child while presenting a positive image of a police officer to the other children. Our Bigs in Blue come from law enforcement in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Prescott, the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, Sedona and Yavapai County.
The YBBBS Foundation administers and grows an endowment that will provide predictable long-term financial support to our programs. Planned giving offers unique opportunities to create a lasting legacy for future generations. Legacy gifts can be in the form of a bequest, a charitable remainder trust, a beneficiary designation or a charitable gift annuity. Contact Paul Border, Foundation Executive Director, at 928-443-1787 or call the YBBBS Office at 928-778-5135.
Want to learn more? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest Learn more about our programs at azbigs.org or call the Prescott office at 928-778-5135 or the Verde Valley Office at 928-634-9789.
